Come Back To Me
by ShadowoftheMountain
Summary: After four years of marriage, Aoshi and Misao meet trying times. Can Misao learn to understand someone so unlike her? And can Aoshi learn to trust her abilities? Rated M for lots of lemon!
1. Chapter 1

**This story is for nonprofit entertainment purposes only. All rights to all characters belong to their creator.**

 **Author's note: This story is a continuation of If I Could Tell You - however, reading it is not necessary, as this story stands alone. This story is going to have a LOT OF LEMONY MATERIAL! Stay away if mature situations offend you! I am not going to warn which chapter specifically contains the lemons, because in the case of this story, the plot would be ruined. I will be warning before each chapter that lemons are a possibility. Also, it is possible that some of my future writing for this story may need to be done on another site, as things may get a bit too naughty for FFnet . If this occurs, I will make it known. Please review and let me know if my writing has improved at all!**

It was late summer. The trees were beginning to turn their beautiful fall colors, and the breeze was definitely cooler. The summer had been miserably hot. But that was not what was on Misao's mind, as she sat, staring blankly into space.

She was sitting in what was once the office that held all the important information of the Oniwabanshu. The desk that once held paper primarily for writing in secret code now held stacks of accounts tallying up the expenses and intake of the inn - all carefully recorded by Okon. Behind this desk is where Misao sat. Only, instead of writing the letter she intended to send, she sat, lost in thought.

So much had happened in the past five years - more than she could ever have imagined, though so many things had stayed the same - or seemed to. Okina had aged, but he still had his wits about him and enjoyed teasing pretty girls like the lecher he was. Okon and Omasu were still as nosy as ever - but they still did so much to help Misao that it was hard for her to complain. And Shiro and Kuro were as easygoing and placid toward Misao as they always were.

Only four years ago today, Kaoru and Kenshin had welcomed their son, Kenji. That sweet little redheaded child had grown into quite a Mama's boy - Misao wondered how it was possible that he'd ever stop crying and hiding behind her skirts.

Yahiko had gotten so much bigger and stronger that Kenshin gave him the sakabato. It astounded Misao at first, until it was pointed out to her that Kenshin no longer had the desire or the drive to carry the world upon his shoulders.

And Misao's life had changed immensely, probably more than anyone else's, when the person who pointed out Kenshin's reasoning to her happened to marry her four and a half years ago.

Her life had taken a path she had always dreamed about - but like many dreams, the reality was vastly different from what she had expected. She was happy in her life, for certain - but she had a longing, a yearning, for something that she couldn't ever say aloud.

The past four years seemed a blur - both to her emotions and her mind. She could still barely believe that Aoshi had finally married her. After all those years waiting so fruitlessly, she had begun to believe she would have to resign herself to old maidhood.

 _Thankfully not_ , Misao thought wryly. The first two years had been anything but maidlike. She still blushed when she thought about many of the things she had experienced then. She was so young, so innocent - and that had changed quickly. In her wildest imagination, she never thought that Aoshi could be such a skilled, exquisite lover.

 _She thought about the time she had been taking too long in the bath just a few short months after they married. She knew she had been there more than an hour, but her back was sore that day. She sat soaking herself, until she heard a pointed knock on the door. "Go away!" she said miserably. As the door opened, much to her initial embarassment, she took in the form of her husband, clad in nothing. "I'm the only person you can't tell to go away, Misao," he told her, as he slid noiselessly into the water, lifting her so that her mouth met his. It was very strange that her back had suddenly stopped hurting after that._

 _Then there was also the time that she and Aoshi went to a picnic that Kaoru had invited them to - everyone from the old days was there. It was a long journey, so they took their time. However, as they were only a few minutes away, Aoshi suddenly grasped her small hand, pulling her behind a large tree. There, on the forest floor, he made love to her, much to her surprise and delight. When she asked him why, he only smiled slightly, as he always did._

 _When they arrived at the gathering, Misao was all smiles. After greeting everyone, she went to sit and talk with Kaoru and Megumi - and both of them were giggling at her. "What?!" Misao said grumpily. "Oh, Misao," Megumi said, in a surreptitious way, "Don't ruin your glow. You look lovely." Misao was confused at first, but Kaoru laughed, and reached over to pull a leaf out of Misao's hair that she had, unfortunately missed. "Well, now I know why you're so happy," she told Misao, squeezing her hand. "I couldn't be gladder for you."_

 _Then, there was that time about 3 years ago when Misao was cleaning her room - well, their room. She was very busy straightening the sheets when Aoshi came up behind her, pushing her to her hands and knees-_

The shoji suddenly slid open, revealing Omasu and Okon. Misao seemed to jump about three feet in the air, immediately turning crimson. "What?!" she asked, somewhat sharply.

"What's the matter?" Omasu asked, looking curiously at Misao. "We didn't mean to disturb you."

"I was just busy, that's all," Misao replied, a little testily. "Why didn't you announce yourself before you opened the door?"

Now genuinely irritated, Okon said, "In a house of onmitsu, we should hardly need to announce ourselves. Of all people, Misao, I would think that you'd be able to sense us."

Omasu whispered to Okon, as if Misao wasn't standing there, "She's just as grumpy as Okina is when we catch him reading his naughty magazines."

This only reddened Misao's face further. "What do you need? I'm in the middle of trying to write a letter to Kaoru. I need to concentrate."

They both smiled. "Someone wanted to see you before she went to bed." A small form stepped in front of them, and Misao instantly smiled.

The child was nearly three years of age, with blue-black hair, and beautiful bright eyes. She looked like her mother, but had an unusually sedate personality for a child so young.

"Keiko!" Misao held out her arms, and the little girl smiled shyly as she went to her mother. Misao gently smoothed a loose lock of hair behind Keiko's ear. One of the only times Aoshi insisted on anything was on the name of his daughter - a name Misao didn't care much for. She was glad she didn't argue it though, because as Aoshi explained, it was his mother's name.

 _Probably the only time he's explained anything to me_ , Misao thought, before remembering her child was in her lap.

"Why aren't you in bed, sweetling? It's pretty late for you to be up."

"Mama, I wanted to tell you good-night." Keiko looked at her with her guileless, deep eyes. It was almost unsettling, how such a small child could be so composed and articulate.

Misao smiled, and hugged her beloved daughter. There was no way she ever thought she could love someone so much, until she had Keiko. This small, fragile being meant the world to her. And to her father, as well. Aoshi was reserved by nature, but there was no way he could hide the love he had for his child. His eyes fairly glowed whenever she was around.

"And," added Keiko, "Why is Dada always so sad?"

This question took all of them off guard. Misao looked at her daughter in slight confusion. "What do you mean?"

Keiko's large eyes looked up at Misao, visibly worried. "Sometimes Dada gets sad when we play in the yard."

In the courtyard of the inn, Misao had placed four identical tablets bearing the names of their fallen comrades, so they would never be forgotten. As much as he had moved forward with his life, Aoshi always had a distant look in his eyes when they happened to brush across those reminders of his past. She could tell he tried to hide it, but the change in his demeanor was detectable - apparently, even for his small mite of a daughter.

Misao gently stroked Keiko's thick hair. "Dada has a lot of memories that make him sad," Misao said, staring off into the distance as she said it. "But that doesn't mean he doesn't love playing with you."

Keiko, being young and straightforward, accepted this answer, but not without looking Misao squarely in the eyes and saying, "Sometimes you're sad too, Mama." Her eyes, wise beyond their years, seemed to bore into Misao's soul.

Misao, taken aback, smiled at her daughter and simply said, "I'm never sad when I'm with you." Keiko giggled.

But in her heart, Misao's answer was, _I know._

 _..._

The next morning, Misao was practicing with her kunai in the part of the courtyard that was reserved for training. She was focused and alert; in particular, she was trying to work on handling surprise attacks. It was much easier when she had a partner, but Okon and Omasu had insisted on taking Keiko shopping for another kimono (as though the child weren't spoiled and doted on enough), Shiro and Kuro were running the inn, and Okina was still sleeping, something he did more and more often these days. And her husband had been in the mountains for the past week on a mission he wasn't talking too much about.

Focus, she reminded herself. She walked to the edge of the training area, with her back facing the dummy, kunai in hand. She slowly backed, then twisted around sharply, the dagger at the throat of the dummy.

This is silly, she thought. I really should be doing this with a partner. Much as she'd rather practice kicks and the like, however, she knew that her weakness lay in how she always made herself so vulnerable with her emotions and bearing. She showed too much of her inner feelings to truly master the art of the onmitsu. Everyone had been telling her this for years, and for the past three months, she had been practicing much harder on trying to turn an attacker into a victim. So she resolved to try again.

Backing slowly, she tried to feel everything around her - the tuberoses in the garden, the sensations of the birds above on the roof, the twirling of the breeze. She became one with her surroundings - so much so that she could finally sense the presence of the dummy behind her.

Turning quickly, she was about to shout "Gotcha!" to whom, she wasn't sure. But that wasn't what happened.

A large hand grasped hers, holding it and the knife firmly. Another clasped firmly around her mouth. She was about to scream, when a voice said something huskily, right next to her ear.

"You're still too slow."

She turned suddenly, completely surprised. Aoshi was standing there, looking at her. He wasn't supposed to be back for another week. He kissed her quickly, lovingly, but chastely.

"You're home!" Misao said breathlessly, momentarily forgetting her irritation, before it flared right up. "What's the big idea with that? You scared the hell out of me!" The flash in her eyes made her husband's eyes twinkle with amusement - ever since their marriage, he had immensely enjoyed teasing her and no longer made a secret of it.

"I couldn't help but notice that you still need work. Do you want to practice with me?"

Enticing as that sounded, Misao had a moment of hopeful wishing before her heart sank, for more than one reason. "What time is it?" she said, looking at the sun. "I have to get a letter out to Kaoru today."

He held something out to her. "Maybe you'd like to read this first." It was a letter addressed to her, from the Kamiya Dojo!

She tore it open impatiently, reading it quickly.

 _Dearest Misao, we hope all finds you well, Kaoru wrote, and we hope everyone at the inn, and your family is well, too. We, ourselves have been doing very nicely._

 _Megumi has written me that she has finally finished training her apprentice to a level she finds satisfactory (it's only taken 10 years!) and that she has been hoping to take a short break from her practice and leave it to her student while she's gone. She invited us to go to a small hot spring and inn that she found in the mountains near Kyoto. Isn't that exciting? We hope you can make it. We plan to leave two weeks from the writing of this letter so please send your reply right away. It's about time we had some time to ourselves!~Kaoru_

Misao was so surprised, she could barely move. She looked up at Aoshi, who was staring at her curiously, as always. She wasn't quite sure what he would say - he always thought that she couldn't do anything herself and would somehow manage to get into trouble. It didn't help that he was usually right.

She smiled excitedly and said, "Kaoru and Megumi want me to go with them on a retreat to a hot spring, just us girls. It sounds like fun."

He looked at her squarely. "Where is it?" She could already sense his unease. The events four years prior had put him on guard - Misao had not only nearly lost her innocence, but her life as well when those bandits took her. He would never tell her she couldn't go, but he wasn't above trying to find ways to prevent it.

"An inn in the mountains near here." She showed him the area Kaoru had mentioned; about 20 miles away. Aoshi's eyes narrowed immediately, looking at the paper. He then turned to her as he said, "Do you know why I've been gone so often lately?"

Aoshi opening up to her about his business was rare indeed. It wasn't that he didn't trust her; it was simply that Aoshi was always quiet and didn't volunteer information, even to Misao. That was the one thing about him that sometimes drove her nuts.

 _Well, not the only thing -_

Her wandering mind was cut off when Aoshi said, "You already know that the government has been bothering me for some time about several things they want me to do for them. They want me to become a police officer, they want me to do secret work. Normally I can just ignore them and not care," he said, giving much more information than he normally would. "But when they told me six months ago that women and children were disappearing after going into the eastern mountains, I agreed to help them. You can imagine that I would be concerned when I see you making plans to go to the same place."

Normally, the fact that he had willingly told her his doings without being mercilessly goaded would be a cause for celebration. But she was tired. Tired of him thinking she couldn't do anything on her own. Tired of thinking she was weak. Tired of believing he had thought her undesirable.

There. She finally confronted the thought.

Ever since she lost their second baby a year ago, he hadn't made love to her. It stung deeply. He was still affectionate - still held her until she fell asleep at night, still insisted on being the one to braid her hair every morning, still kissed her lovingly. But that was as far as it went.

Did he find her ugly? Certainly her body wasn't the same after having children. She had become so comically huge with Keiko that when Yahiko saw her at nine months of pregnancy, he wasn't able to stop himself before he guffawed aloud, even as Kaoru struck him sharply over the head with her fan. Misao had so many stretch marks that even though she had gone back to a slender physique, she wasn't quite girlish anymore. Maybe Aoshi found her unattractive.

Maybe he was angry at her for losing their son.

Or maybe he had another woman.

The thought haunted her constantly, even as she tried to banish it. Aoshi had been celibate for so many years before marrying Misao that it made no sense. Still, the idea kept sneaking into her mind.

A little too testily, she said, "Why do you think I can't take care of myself?"

His eyes were guarded as he replied, "I think you can take care of yourself, but I don't want to risk anything happening to you."

"Well, maybe I'm stronger than you think. Maybe, if someone did try to attack me, I'd be able to defend myself. I'm not as weak as I used to be."

"I won't forbid you to go, if that's what you're trying to get me to say."

"Well, whether you did or not, I would be going. I need to have some time to myself. I need to think. I need to be - away - for a little while." Unconsciously, her eyes met the small black stone Aoshi had placed in her son's memory, right in the middle of the garden, next to the bamboo poles. It wasn't traditional to mourn a child who had died before even taking a breath, but Misao had been devastated. It was his way of showing her that he cared.

So she thought at the time.

He looked at her sharply, obviously irritated himself, and said, "Suit yourself. But be on your guard."

"I always am," Misao said, before turning toward the office to go write her reply.

Perhaps she would have felt differently if she could have seen the torture that lay beneath Aoshi's eyes as he watched her walk away. That, however, was something few would be able to see.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Author's Note: Once again, I do not own any rights to the characters in this story; it is purely for nonprofit entertainment purposes. Also, once again, there is ALWAYS the possibility for STRONG lemon/mature material to pop up at ANY time in this story. I thank you all for your kind reviews, and though this chapter isn't very long, I hope you like it. Don't worry, there will be more :)**_

Misao, clad in a kimono, was walking as best she could down the mountain path without tripping. She really missed her old fighting gi, but it was no longer appropriate for a married woman to wear. She remembered how she had initially fought wearing kimono for so long, and it made her smile. It was Aoshi who insisted - and she knew why. He couldn't stand other men looking at the sight of her long legs. She giggled to herself, remembering that time that he spent the entire day, ominously in the corner of the Aoiya, staring down any man who dared to look at her. Most were smart enough to look away, but the ones that weren't got a brief verbal lashing from him. For his own sanity, she decided to dress properly, but she was still so clumsy - and so hot - in every kimono she wore. She carefully walked along, praying that her foot wouldn't catch on the hem, like it always did.

Her mind flashed to yesterday, when she had left the Aoiya, Aoshi, and Keiko behind. She remembered Keiko's tears, which rented her motherly heart. Calming her had been difficult, and Misao momentarily felt guilty for leaving. She might have been resolved to stay, were it not for one thing.

And that was the utter lack of emotion that Aoshi showed. Of course, he was never one to let his feelings be known easily, but after being with him for so long Misao had some inkling of his underlying thoughts. And as far as she could tell, he was still upset at her. He still thought she was taking a risk she shouldn't.

 _Easy for him to say!_ She thought. He never trusted her - he never thought she could care for herself. He always thought he had to do it for her - be her protector. It seemed as though he was blind to the fact that she had improved a great deal - her timing had quickened, and her ability to sense her environment and use cool, calm judgment had drastically improved.

Why wouldn't he realize that she wasn't as helpless as she used to be? Why did he always have to smother her?

Of course, she knew the answer to that question - it was because he had lost his longtime comrades and still felt guilty for it. Misao was positive that Aoshi saw them in her, in a strange way. He was trying to protect the last part of his past.

... ...

She finally made her way up the small mountain trail to the place Megumi had found. And it was amazing.

Sitting in between two jagged outcroppings of rock was a lovely inn, with a separate, smaller building. Both were built in a very fancy pagoda style, with a dragon perched atop each corner, as if standing guard. The outer walls of each building were bright red, with the roofs lacquered black. They looked just as fine as some of the famous teahouses in Kyoto.

 _Strange,_ she thought. It was very unusual to see such a fine place in the middle of the rural mountains. Then again, maybe the hot spring was special, or something.

She slipped off her geta and walked through the open front door. There was a lady kneeling at an old-fashioned desk in the corner. She was older - maybe fifty or so, give or take. She was strikingly fat, and had a slightly sour look on her face. She didn't look up as Misao entered.

"We're full, you'll have to go elsewhere," she said shortly. Before Misao could even bother to get annoyed, she raised her eyes. A different look overtook her and her face softened. "Oh, well, maybe we do have some room after all..." _Very strange,_ Misao thought to herself.

"Actually, ma'am, I am here waiting for two other women. Their names are-"

Before she could finish, the three women she was about to name walked through the door from the back, wearing light robes as though they were going to be bathing soon. Kaoru's face lit up as she saw Misao, and ran toward her.

"Misao! You're finally here!" Kaoru's enthusiasm was intense, as always. She hugged Misao strongly. "How are you? It's been too long - at least a year and a half." _That's right,_ Misao remembered. _The last time Kaoru saw me, I was still carrying... him. My child._ She worked hard not to let the thought show, but Kaoru, ever perceptive, gave her palm a slight squeeze.

"It's good to see you, Misao," Megumi said, in her foxlike way. At one time, Misao had envied Megumi so fiercely for her exotic beauty - but now that she knew her better, she was sad for her. Megumi had a great purpose in life, saving others, but her loneliness was sometimes almost tangible. The one man she loved belonged to her good friend. How she continued with such grace was something Misao couldn't comprehend.

"Hello, Misao," said the shy Tsubame, casting her eyelashes down. Having not seen her for more than three years, Misao was amazed. Tsubame was now sixteen - and soon to be married to Yahiko. She had grown into a lovely young girl - not a showy beauty, like Megumi, but pretty in a very quiet and feminine way. Misao could barely believe time had flown so.

"I've missed you all so much," Misao said, feeling true excitement for the first time in a while. This, she knew, was just what she needed.

... ...

Misao sighed as she slipped carefully into the almost uncomfortably hot water. The steam and heat sent prickles up her spine, relaxing her to the bone. _Why didn't I do something like this sooner?_ she thought to herself. Getting away from a short while was just what she needed. Escaping the sorrow. Escaping the memories. Escaping the loneliness...

The darkness of the night. The endless hours of wishing for that which she couldn't receive. The quiet of midnight driving her and her body mad...

"Misao, are you all right? I don't think I've ever remembered you being this quiet," asked Kaoru, snapping Misao out of her reverie. Kaoru looked at her with slight confusion. "Usually you're talking so fast that we can't keep up." They had been chatting about Tsubame's wedding, and while Misao found it interesting, she couldn't focus on it.

"Oh, I'm sure it's just the warm water sending Misao to the daydream world," Megumi said wickedly. Misao blushed, but Tsubame blushed even harder.

"Tsubame-chan, you'll have to get over your embarrassment sooner or later," Kaoru teased, in a slightly haughty way. "After all, you'll soon be married - and I hope you know what's going to happen." She, Misao, and Megumi chuckled, but not unkindly. Everyone made fun of girls about to be married - Misao certainly hadn't escaped it - even though she wasn't a virgin when it happened. And she was pretty sure Kaoru wasn't, either.

"That makes me ask, Tsubame - how come you're here as well? Kaoru and Megumi didn't mention that you were going to come," asked Misao. "Of course," she added quickly, "I'm glad you came - I haven't seen you in so long." She smiled broadly. Misao and Tsubame had always gotten along quite well, perhaps because of their differences. They were about as opposite as women got, as far as personality.

"Kaoru asked me," answered Tsubame gently. "Yahiko is away right now, so I was glad to spend some time with Kaoru again."

"You mean, since you and Yahiko are attached at the hip, you feel lonely without him," Kaoru gently teased again. Tsubame blushed again; this time it definitely was not the effect of the hot spring.

"Oh, leave poor Tsubame alone," Megumi said. "After all, the one none of us has seen for so long is you, Misao. Tell us - how has married life been treating you? I still can't figure out how you managed to melt Aoshi's heart. Tell me, how are you?" As she said this, Misao felt certain she could nearly feel Megumi's eyes boring into her soul. She was certain that the lady doctor could sense the unrest in her heart.

"Yes," Kaoru said, smiling. "You never told us - is he any good?"

 _"Good?"_ Misao asked, genuinely confused at first. Then it hit her. Oh, great. Here we go. Now that she was older and wiser, she saw what Kaoru was doing. In order to spare Megumi's feelings, she was going to avoid talking about her relationship with Kenshin as much as she could. Tsubame wasn't married yet; and they had already been chatting about her plans for it for the past hour. Megumi was on this trip simply to try to forget as much as she could of the death and disease that surrounded her on a daily basis; it plainly wasn't something that she wanted to discuss now. And they had already asked about Keiko, and everyone at the Aoiya, and the doings in Kyoto while Misao was readying herself for the spring. There only remained one subject.

Her marriage. Her love life. Obviously, to everyone, Aoshi was one of the most mysterious people they'd ever met. They had no idea what to expect from him, and had no idea what married life with him would be like. They wanted details. After all, she would want them too, if she was in their shoes. And every time in the past that they had met, it was in the company of all the men. They hadn't had a chance to gossip, and here it was.

 _Great._

"Well... he's... ah... _very good?"_ Misao answered uncertainly.

"Very... _good_? That's the best you can say?" Megumi said in her foxy way. "Certainly you have to know more than that."

"Oh, I don't know. He used to..." and her memory slipped back in time, to that one day. Before Keiko was born, she had lost another child. Their first, conceived from the very first time they made love. It was early, but she knew it for what it was. She had cried for days, inconsolable, for the very fact that it felt like she lost that very first time, in a way. She continued her sadness long after the miscarriage was over. Aoshi had held her, never leaving her during the entire episode. He brought her food, he wiped the tears from her eyes. When it was finally safe, he gently and tenderly held her, looking into her eyes, as he slipped her onto his lap and became one with her once again.

And after her boy, her beautiful stillborn boy, came into the world, he behaved like a monk. He was punishing her, she knew it. She couldn't stop the tears, which came as though floodgates had opened, silently. They took everyone else aback.

"He... used to hold me. He used to surprise me. He used to do things to my body that I don't even understand," Misao said, through the sudden tears. "But since we lost our son, he hasn't touched me in that way. He... he hasn't made love to me in more than a year." Saying it aloud made it feel even more keenly.

Kaoru looked shocked; Tsubame looked mortified. But was Misao imagining the small look of guilt in Megumi's face?


	3. Chapter 3

The large woman who ran the inn sat quietly, her dog in her lap. She was trying to keep from fidgeting, due to the stress of waiting.

 _Shimuo, where are you?_

He was three days late. The shipment would be ready tonight, and by no means could she do this herself. She needed him and his men, much to her chagrin. He never paid her the percentage he claimed, that was for certain. But there was nothing she could do about it - after all, the strong were strong and the weak were weak. At least she was getting by.

She was surprised to hear the sudden sound of tears. She discreetly looked through a small, intentional tear in the rice-paper window. That small, wiry one was blubbering like a baby. _How shameful,_ she thought. She was even more disgusted when she noticed that the other women were comforting her. _In my day and age,_ she thought, _the other women would have slapped me and told me to bear myself like a woman, not a child._ The way young people behaved nowadays was revolting.

Good thing I won't have to deal with this much longer, she thought. As long as he actually shows up.

As if on cue, the large woman noticed that there was a sudden draft in the room. Looking behind her, she noticed that the shoji had been opened noiselessly, and next to it was standing a short, thin man. He had a small, pointed beard, and a scar over his eye. But that was not the thing anyone noticed about him right away. His eyes were black as night, and glassy, and incredibly large. You could see no whites in them, only what seemed to be infinite darkness. A doctor once told him he had been born with a rare genetic disease, but as far as he was concerned, it was a blessing. Those eyes could see in the dark like no other.

"It's rude to sneak into a house without announcing yourself," the large woman said, both irritated and relieved at his presence.

"It's far ruder to have nothing to give me," he retorted haughtily, in a voice as thin as a reed. "I didn't see the need to stop by - you've had no merchandise for me in the past two weeks."

"It rarely rains here. But on occasion, it certainly does pour," the woman replied tartly.

"Don't speak in riddles, woman. Do you finally have something?"

"I have four lovely treasures. Look for yourself."

He walked silently and noiselessly to the window, looking through the paper. He hated to give the woman credit - the only thing she'd supplied him with recently were useless children. But four young women of childbearing age would do beautifully in the mail-order bride market. The West, especially America, had a fascination with Asian women, especially young ones. The youngest was obviously a virgin, though the other three probably weren't. One was decidedly plain, another was very exotic and beautiful. _Maybe I'll keep her for myself,_ he thought. The one who was crying was small and wiry, and seemed to have a strong spirit, despite her tears. He could tell that she was in fighting shape - but she likely wasn't much of a threat.

"Make certain they don't leave, whatever you do. And get rid of that government dog who keeps sniffing down our necks."

"I can only do so much with the little you provide-"

He cut her off, irritated. "Need I remind you that when I found you, this inn had been burned to the ground? If not for my capital, you'd be a beggar on the streets. You should be thankful I give you anything." He stared her down.

"Of course, Shimuo-san. How forward of me." What she was really thinking was, _One of these days, he won't take me so lightly._

...

Misao was slurping gently on her clear soup. The silence, she felt, was nearly deafening. Of course, Megumi, Kaoru, and Tsubame did all they could to make her feel better, but now that her secret was out in the open, she felt little to no relief. And Megumi kept looking at her as if she wished to say something, but keeping her lips pressed into a line.

Kaoru broke the stillness by declaring, "Misao, there's only one thing you can do. You have to ask Aoshi why."

Misao couldn't help herself from choking slightly on her soup, before responding more loudly than she should, "ASK HIM! Are you kidding?"

The three of them simply looked at her in stunned silence, before Tsubame piped in timidly, "You don't ask him anything? Ever?"

"Well, I suppose I ask him when he'll be coming home, or what kind of tea he's in the mood for, but I certainly don't ask him anything personal."

"Why?" Kaoru asked, looking at Misao as though she'd grown two heads. "Marriage is about trust, and communication. I ask Kenshin things all the time - not just about the household but how he's feeling."

"Of course, you can ask Kenshin those things - any of us can. But Aoshi is... different. He's very old-fashioned, you know."

Megumi laughed one of her pretty, tittering, slightly haughty laughs. "You mean he'll tell you to be silent as befits a woman? Or tell you to commit seppuku? Even Aoshi isn't that old-fashioned." Misao couldn't help glaring at her a bit.

"Of course not! He's just, silent. It's how he's always been. It doesn't mean he shuts me out - it's more like I feel as though I'm breaking something sacred when I ask him a personal question. He's the only person I don't ever feel comfortable picking apart. Also... this is a hard one to bring up. How do you say, 'Aoshi, why don't you make love to me anymore? Is it because my stomach looks like a map? Is it because I'm older now? Is it... because someone younger and prettier is more available?'"

Megumi cut her off, rolling her eyes. "You can assure yourself that it isn't any of those things. Do you really think someone like Aoshi is shallow enough to desert you based on that? He could have had almost any woman he came across - you know it's true - but he chose you. He doesn't desert his closest companions easily. I wanted you to ask him, because I believe there might be a reason you haven't thought of that explains it." Megumi looked at her with meaning.

"I think Megumi's right." Kaoru agreed. "I think you need to ask him right away, the next time you see him. Even if it isn't the answer you want, it's better than living like this forever. There has to be a reason."

They all fell quiet as the large woman brought in a serving of rice and yellow and red pickles for each of them, with a small piece of white fish on top. Misao instantly noticed that the woman made a quick glance at all of them, while trying to make it appear as though she wasn't looking. In particular, she paid attention to Misao's right thigh, where her kunai were always at hand. Misao had a hard time keeping her eyes from narrowing. _How could she know?_ The other three didn't notice.

She decided to look around the room, and noticed that one of the tatami was slightly worn around the edges, as though it had been opened and closed frequently - a trap door in the floor, most likely. These were the things Hann'ya always taught her to notice - small clues as to the real use for a room. Of course, it could be nothing, but still...

She had a feeling of being watched ever since arriving. She felt the need to be on guard. The trouble was, how did she tell everyone else without being noticed by the large woman? She was sitting behind the shoji, listening to every word they said. The only way she could think of temporarily split them up, but Misao didn't see another way. If she made a move to have all of them leave the room, she'd be attracting unwanted attention.

"Megumi-san," Misao said suddenly, "I have to use the bathroom. Will you show me the way there? I forgot." Her smile seemed sincere to those who didn't know her, but Megumi could tell something was on Misao's mind.

"Of course," Megumi said, walking calmly in front. It was a lovely, cool evening, and the sun was just beginning to set. Once they were out of earshot of the large woman, Misao, as discreetly as possible, motioned Megumi to come closer. However, before she could say anything, Megumi spoke.

"Misao, now that we're alone, there is something I have to tell you-"

"Well, whatever it is, it'll have to wait," Misao interrupted in a whisper. "This place isn't safe. Something isn't right."

Megumi's face went from sorrowful and apologetic to confused. "Whatever do you mean?"

"I can tell we're being watched. What for, I'm not sure - but I can tell."

"Nonsense! This inn came highly recommended by a very close friend." But Misao could tell that Megumi had begun to have her doubts about this place, as well. Something just didn't feel... right.

"Well, I don't even know if we should stay the night here. There's no way I could sleep."

"And where would we go? The wilderness? There are just as many bandits outside in the mountains. There isn't a real village for at least 10 miles, and it's almost dark. I think we should stay here and simply be on guard. We can leave in the morning."

Misao was about to answer, but she immediately had her sixth sense kick in. Someone was behind her back, maybe a couple of feet, slowly inching closer. She took stock of her surroundings - in between two small buildings (the outhouse and the main building of the inn), with the tree branch of a weeping cherry about three feet above her head. Could she reach it? She wasn't sure, but she had to try.

"Megumi! Run!"

Just as she said it, Megumi was grabbed from behind by someone dressed as a shinobi. She sensed someone springing for her at the same moment, but she did a quick backflip as her attacker went after her, ending up behind him. Before he could recover from surprise, she ran forward, scaled the side of the outhouse for one step, and successfully grabbed hold of the cherry tree's branch, pulling herself up into it. Her attacker followed her, since she was easy to see ( _stupid bright white robe!_ ). He was on her in a moment, but all her recent training had benefited her. Luckily, the tree was very old and had a nice, thick, steady branch on it that was pretty long and even. He ran for her, and as he got close, she took a slight risk, flattening herself against the tree branch, throwing him off guard. He was good, though and kept his footing. He made a grab at her, but she was too quick - sweeping her left foot low, she caught him on the ankle, and he fell out of the tree, since all the branches below were too small to grab onto.

Not wasting a moment, she ran toward the top, being small enough to carry onto the lightest branches. She jumped into the neighboring tree and was able to carefully lower herself down. She hid herself in a bush, scanning for her attacker - but he was nowhere to be seen - a bad sign.

 _What if they got the others?_ She knew they probably had - this was obviously a coordinated attack. She needed to shed this light robe, and quickly. Luckily, hanging nearby was a futon sheet that was much darker in color. She grabbed it, wrapping herself completely.

She looked about for commotion, but saw none - until she saw a short man coming out of the main house. He had her three friends in tow! They were bound and gagged, each one carried like a barrel of rice by three different men. Misao tried to stifle her anger, but it was definitely there.

 _I'll kill them_ , she thought.

...

Kaoru, used to situations like this as she was, was trying to maintain control. She was very afraid - after all, Kenshin was nowhere around here and couldn't know that she was in danger. He couldn't save her, this time. They would have to save themselves, and she wasn't sure they could do it - these men were experts. Though bound and gagged, she looked around her, and could see Megumi, whose eyes were closed, and whose body was limp. _I hope she's okay,_ Kaoru thought. Tsubame had tears streaming down her cheeks - she was obviously terrified. _Poor girl._

They were piled up at the back of the main building, not far from the hot springs themselves. She could see barrels stacked against the wall - the kind often used to ship humans for trafficking. _I should have listened to Kenshin,_ she thought. Too bad it was much too late.

Where was Misao? Kaoru couldn't see her anywhere. Just then, she heard a loud voice.

"Where the _HELL_ is the other one?!" Shimuo was standing in the middle of the courtyard, yelling at one of his shinobi - the same one who had let Misao go. "How could you lose her? She's just a woman - she should be no match for someone like you!"

"Sir, if you'll excuse me-"

"I do not!" Shimuo yelled back. His dark eyes looked as though they were going to swallow the man up.

He gulped. "Sir, this one was different. She was almost certainly kunoichi - she moved at least as quickly as we do. She's practiced."

Shimuo glared. "Do you dare to say that this woman is better than we are?"

"Of course not, sir. I make no excuses for my mistake. My life is in your hands." He looked at Shimuo with resignation.

Shimuo nearly shook with suppressed rage. "Very well. Kazuma, if you wish to even speak to me any longer, find what you have lost and bring it back to me. Otherwise, your life is forfeit." His hands shook with rage.

It was obvious to Kaoru that this leader had very poor self control. He may be quick, and good at coordinating attacks, but if his anger was stoked properly, he'd be easy to trick. However, it also meant that he might take his temper out on his captive goods - and that worried her.

 _Please, Misao, help us._


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note:** **Thank you all for your flattering reviews. I still don't like certain parts of my writing, but it's getting better for sure. Many of you asked why I labeled one of the girls as "plain" in the last chapter. I had thought it was common knowledge, but I guess now that I think about it it was only lightly discussed in the manga and maybe even not at all in the anime. Kaoru is often labeled as slightly plain (that's why Yahiko calls her "ugly," though he's exaggerating). She's just slightly ordinary-looking, at least as the author puts it. I just cleaned that passage up to make it clearer so I appreciate that you pointed it out. Thanks so much, and though this chapter is short, things are going to pick up fast.**

Misao sat in the bushes, trying to figure out the best course of action. Obviously, these were not big-time shinobi of any sort, but they still had to be taken seriously. They had her friends bound and gagged - she couldn't take chances.

She was thankful that she had been able to quickly slip into some darker clothing - she had found a navy-colored robe hanging to dry, and had put it on right away. She would prefer her legs to be covered, as it was rather skimpy, but it was the best she could do for now - much better than white.

The men had the three women tied up in the courtyard, bound and gagged and piled in a corner like sacks. As far as what Misao was able to hear, they were waiting for Shimuo to get the wagon ready. Apparently, the plan was to smuggle them all out in rice barrels. _How awful_ , Misao thought, trying to imagine completing an entire journey like that.

Years ago, when she was much younger, she would have charged against all of them in a death-or-glory attack - but she was older, and wiser now. She had a better handle on her temper - but it wasn't as though her anger wasn't there.

 _Bastards!_

She had a hard time controlling herself as she saw them standing in the courtyard, gloating about having caught several weeks' worth of gambling money. One looked hard at Tsubame's exposed leg.

"Too bad Shimuo says she has to stay unspoiled," he said sadly.

"Well, he didn't say anything about the other two - they must be damaged goods," another one said, grinning. Misao got so angry that she saw stars. _Keep it together!_ She reminded herself. If she gave herself away, they were all lost.

"You can have the plain one!" said a third. "I get the pretty fox-looking one!"

Kaoru started making all sorts of angry noises, bound and gagged as she was. Misao didn't blame her - it wasn't a game anyone exactly wanted to win or lose. After spending years being called a weasel, Misao knew how it felt all too well. And even though some did find Kaoru ordinary-looking, Misao saw a special beauty in her - particularly her eyes. She wasn't someone who you'd find fascinating if you just met them on the street, but after getting to know her, it was easy to see why Kenshin loved her so.

 _Too bad they're not here_ , she thought, thinking of him and Aoshi, and even Yahiko and that crazy rooster-head who was out of the country. But there was nothing to be done. In fact, in a small way, she was glad. Aoshi had told Misao many times that she would never get out of a bad situation, since she always acted before she thought. That may have been true years ago, but she'd show him now. She'd break out of this, all by herself.

Just then, she got a stroke of luck. Suddenly, there was the noise of something falling out of a tree, about a hundred feet down the path. It was dark, so it was impossible to see if it was an animal, a person, or just a branch. All the same, talk ceased immediately and the men ran to investigate. Foolishly, they left no one behind to watch Kaoru, Megumi and Tsubame.

 _This is my chance!_ She thought. Silently as a deer, she ran from her bush to the one near her friends'. She was able to quickly reach over and cut Kaoru's bonds with one of her kunai. Just then, however, she felt she shadow of someone's presence.

But she felt it too late. Someone was upon her, quickly. He grabbed her wrists tightly with one hand, and tried to push her over. She used his momentum back at him, twisting around outside of his grip. Jumping back, she stood a few feet away, poised and looking him in the eye.

Up close, he was terrifying - he was small, thin, and slight, and seemed to be made entirely of dark black eyes. As he smiled at her, they glowed, like black pits in his face.

"So here is the one you fools missed," he snarled at his men, who were still running back. He didn't take his eyes off of Misao. "You're a bit thin, but you'll do. Since they don't allow brothels here in Japan anymore, we'll have to ship you to America. They'll be happy to use you."

"Not in a million years," Misao spat back, venom in her voice. "You're fighting a kunoichi of the Oniwabanshu. Don't take me lightly."

At the name, his eyes flared. "The Oniwabanshu? Oh my, the you mean the boogeymen of the Revolution? How _frightening!_ " He mocked her openly. "I doubt that to be true, but whether it is or not, you can't get past me. I see everything."

Just then, Kaoru, who had been quietly sitting there, forgotten by the impulsive Shimuo, had slipped her bonds, largely unnoticed. That was what Misao had hoped for, distracting this foolish man into talking about himself. He hadn't noticed that she had also cut the bonds of the others. They all immediately jumped up and ran for the house.

Flustered, Shimuo shouted, "Stop them!" but this time, it was Misao who surprised _him_. She landed one of her kicks straight to his shin, taking his legs out from under him. He fell sideways, but quickly recovered, and grabbed her throat. He squeezed tightly. Misao wanted to shout at him, but all she could do was gag.

Suddenly, there was a blinding light from behind her. Shimuo screamed, dropping Misao and putting his hand over his eyes. Misao turned around to look and saw that cute, quiet Tsubame was holding a candle from one of the lanterns right next to a small mirror from the house. She was shining the light directly into his eyes, blinding his sensitive pupils that were always completely dilated.

Behind her, one of Shimuo's men was sneaking up - but Misao threw her kunai and got the man right in the left arm, causing him to scream with pain. She then noticed that Kaoru and Megumi had been able to deal with the others, their unconscious forms knocked to the ground.

"These men certainly aren't very intelligent," Megumi observed. She had obviously been shaken, but much worse had happened to all of them before - even to Tsubame.

"Nice thinking, Tsubame!" Kaoru called out. "You saved us all!"

"I just noticed that his eyes were strange, that's all," Tsubame replied, shyly. She did seem very pleased with herself though.

Just then, however, she was grabbed from behind, by Shimuo, who had managed to stand again. He was obviously in pain, but was still able to see somewhat. He held Tsubame with her wrists twisted painfully behind her, a knife to her throat.

"I'll _kill_ you, you wretched girl. You've blinded me." He sounded deadly serious. Misao, for just a moment, found herself wishing Aoshi was there. He would have handled this pawn 15 minutes ago. But as quickly as the thought came to her, it disappeared.

 _I am NOT a damsel in distress!_

She threw her last set of kunai at his feet. She easily caught him in the ankle, which was what she had hoped for. Completely involuntarily, he dropped his weapon, grasping one of the most sensitive parts of the human body. In a moment, she was on top of him, in a rage; her left knee pushed his hands into his back, and she picked up her kunai, holding it to his throat.

 _"I'll kill YOU!"_ She shouted, pain and rage at her friends' suffering pulling at her heart.

"No, Misao!" called out the horrified Kaoru.

"Misao, he isn't worth it," cautioned Megumi.

"Please don't!" called out Tsubame.

"No." A simple, quiet word was spoken by a voice very familiar to all of them. A voice Misao in particular did not expect to hear at all.

Aoshi was standing a few feet away, next to the large woman who ran the inn. Behind him were about ten police officers. He was looking at Misao with a strange look on his face. Some would say it was irritation; others anger, and still others would say slight confusion.

"Misao, let him go," Aoshi commanded, watching her carefully. She knew he would incapacitate her if he had to, and part of her wanted to make him, just for spite. But she did as she was told, mostly because there were so many people around.

"But... Aoshi... why are you here? And why are all of those police here?" She asked confusedly, then saw a man who was obviously dressed as the police chief. He addressed her question.

"Mr. Shinomori has been doing surveillance in this area at my request, as we have had many complaints of women and children simply vanishing. Thankfully, he was able to make one of these people come forward," he said, gesturing at the large woman. "She agreed to show us how this is being done - for a lighter sentence, of course," the police chief added. Of course, there was no reason for him to be giving out all of this information. But the police chief of the village was one of those men who liked to feel important.

"But... how come you let us come here, then?" Misao asked. He simply looked at her with his usual cold expression, but she figured it out. Fire burned in her eyes. "I don't believe it," she said venomously. "You set this up."

"But I was the one who suggested we come here, Misao," Megumi said, though she looked as though she was thinking hard about something. "Then again... I do know that Aki-san is a police officer..."

Aoshi said nothing, but the truth was in his eyes. Misao could tell - he had done this all on purpose!

"You watched us from the trees, while Kaoru and Megumi and Tsubame were tied up! You let me think I was doing this all myself, but you were watching, just in case, weren't you? You always think I'm helpless." She knew she was making a spectacle of herself, but she didn't care - the hurt outweighed everything. She had, for once in her life, thought she was genuinely saving her friends, all by herself, but she wasn't. She couldn't. It stung.

She stood there in stony silence, flatly refusing to look at Aoshi or anyone else, willing the tears to stay where they were. Everyone was busy for a time - tying up the criminals, hauling them off to jail. The police chief looked at the large woman and told her that since she outed the operation, she wouldn't be going to jail but would be fined half her take at the inn for a year. She looked grim at this resolution, but nodded her head - she was lucky to escape a jail cell. At least she'd given Shimuo what he deserved. And she'd get a decent take tonight, with all of these people to house.

Finally, Misao couldn't stand it any longer. She went to the smaller house, where the four of them had been sleeping, telling the others she needed to rest her eyes. No sooner had she laid down than the shoji opened.

Aoshi was standing in the doorway. And there was fire of a sort in his eyes.


	5. Chapter 5

**Another update. Please enjoy, and thanks for all your constructive criticism. I know we don't always see everything the same way as readers, and that's totally fine with me - interpretation is meant to be personal :). Hope you like this chapter! Remember, lemon material is always possible in this story.**

Kaoru, Megumi, and Tsubame watched as the police led their would-be captors away. They were bound, being herded in front of the soldiers like animals. Kaoru tried to stifle a giggle when the blinded Shimuo stumbled over a rock, but was unsuccessful.  
"Well, what should we do now? It's getting rather late, and I'm tired," Kaoru said, with a yawn. Tsubame looked at the small house they had been staying in.  
"I suppose we should go to bed, then," she said, walking towards the cottage. But Megumi put a hand on her shoulder.  
"I wouldn't go in there if I were you," Megumi told her. "Have you noticed? Where is Misao?"  
"She said she was going in to lie down and rest herself - after all, she's pretty tired out after all that fighting," Kaoru replied.  
"Well, have you seen Shinomori Aoshi anywhere?" Megumi asked. "I haven't."  
"So what?" Kaoru said, somewhat snappily. Then, understanding swept across her face, along with a questioning look. "Megumi, Misao said that hasn't happened for her in a long while. Do you know something we don't know?"  
"Oh, I do," Megumi answered, in her foxy way. "Let's just say that if Misao is tired now, she's going to be positively exhausted in the morning."  
Kaoru giggled, and Tsubame turned red. As they walked slowly to the inn's main house, Kaoru looked pensively at the cottage. "I hope you're right, Megumi. For both their sakes."

...

"How could you do this to me?" She asked.  
"What do you mean?" He looked genuinely surprised. "I thought you would be happy that I didn't interrupt you."  
"You didn't let me truly handle this on my own - you always have to make sure I don't get into trouble, no matter what."  
"I knew you could handle Shimuo, Misao. He thought he was strong but he was obviously no match for you. In order to get him arrested, I had to show the police chief himself what was going on. We had no evidence. I knew that you and your friends were capable of staying safe."  
"Oh really?" She asked sarcastically. "Then why did you have to hide out in the trees? Why do you have to watch me all the time?"  
"Did you ever think that maybe it's because I love you?"  
Her heart melted instantly when he said it, but that didn't mean she was going to show it. Yet.  
"You could fool me," she said, knowing it was a cruel statement.  
"What do you mean by that?" Momentary irritation, or maybe something else, flashed in his eyes.  
"How could you even ask?" She said angrily, tears running out of her eyes. "You haven't touched me in more than a year. You don't want me anymore. You simply keep me around because it's convenient for you. Or you have a mistress I don't know about. Or maybe," she wasn't able to keep her voice from breaking a bit, "It's because I lost your son. Either way, I'm alone." Finally, the dam had been broken. Tears streamed out of her eyes, as she crumpled to the ground, feeling desolated.  
He looked at her in his usual calculating way, but she could tell he had softened somewhat. "Is that really why you've been so angry at me lately?" he asked, walking toward her.  
"YES!" She shouted, completely unable to control her anger a moment longer. "I can't stand the way you never tell me anything - about your work, about what's in your mind, about why the hell you married me if you aren't even going to pay me any attention. Sometimes, I _do_ hate you."  
She expected him to be confused. Angry, even (though that was rare for him). Instead, however, to Misao's complete surprise, he picked her up in his arms and kissed her. Not restrainedly, has he had been for ever so long, but deeply, passionately, and somewhat desperately.  
She wanted to be angry - she still was - but her body melted immediately. It wasn't fair, how much power he had over her, both physically and emotionally. She felt a shock again as he pushed her into the corner of the wall, where one of the four-corner posts were. Pressing her against it, he held her closer, his left hand under her left thigh, and she wrapped her legs around his back, finally kissing him back. He looked fiercely into her eyes, the way he always did at times like this.  
"When this is over, remember - you asked for it."  
His kisses trailed slowly down her neck, causing her to gasp. He stayed there for a few moments, relishing her response. He quickly undid the knot tying her simple cotton robe together, exposing her breasts. She didn't even bother trying to stifle a moan as he took one into his mouth, pushing her even harder against the wall. He gently, slowly toyed with it, sucking gently and rolling it around in his mouth. His right hand teased the other one. The feeling was exquisite - one she hadn't felt in so long. He took his time, making her want him more. As he stared into her eyes, as intensely as always, she felt a fire growing in her belly.  
Suddenly, she felt his finger brush against her inner thigh, checking her readiness. He looked at her, intently, as he slid her down lower, and lower, until she could feel him, ready to press forward into her. _What the hell?_ She thought. _How did he even do that? He's still wearing all his clothes!_ She didn't have much time to wonder, however, because she felt him filling her slowly, completely. She cried out loudly.  
He moved into her, slowly at first, then moving faster, and faster. The feeling of being pinned and held against the wall was so satisfying, somehow. Misao tried to stay quiet so everyone outside wouldn't hear, but soon she couldn't take it anymore. She was screaming the way she always had during their lovemaking - the way that always annoyed everyone who lived at the Aoiya.  
As he pushed into her one more time, she felt him stiffen, and slow, spilling into her, holding his breath. At the same moment, she met her climax too - and cried out loudly.  
She expected him to gently hold her to him as he usually did, but his eyes still looked at her intently.  
"We're not done."  
He placed her on one of the futons - it happened to be Tsubame's - and lay her down quickly. He then quickly stripped off all of his clothing, and as always, she took a sharp breath in as he did. Aoshi's form was equal parts impressive and terrifying; he was so tall, lean, strong, and so scarred. She now knew where he had gotten many of them, but at least as many were still a mystery to her, just as he himself was. As he lay down on top of her, she gently placed her hand over her favorite one - the one Kenshin had given him, that had brought him back to her.  
He engulfed her mouth in his, holding her close to him. The intensity with which he kissed her was something she had never experienced before; she now got the feeling that every time they had previously made love, he had been holding back. There was nothing of the sort now - only a sense of desperation and desire. The feeling of his hot bare skin on hers made her body feel as though it was on fire, in the best possible way.

As he moved down her body, finally focusing on her most secret and central part - she nearly fainted.

 _I'm so confused,_ she thought. _But right now, I don't care._

...

"I still don't get it," Misao said, once they had quieted and were underneath the linen sheets, holding on to one another. There was no place in the world she felt safer in than Aoshi's arms. She was glad to be there again, but the sudden intense passion after such a long dry spell was strange indeed.  
"Don't get what?" He asked, gently stroking her hair.  
"You didn't want me for a year, and now you're acting like a boy in the red-light district."  
"Misao, you've never even been to a red-light district."  
"Have you?"  
"Yes."  
She gave him a dirty look.  
"Purely for work purposes, I assure you," he said, willing himself not to enjoy her irritation enough for her to notice.  
She turned to look at him critically. "Is that where you learned to do... well, whatever it is you just did?"  
"I just did many things." She was certain she could see a slight humor twinkle in his eyes; he knew what she was asking, and that she was to embarrassed to say it, even to him.  
"What you did... with your tongue. To me."  
"No, actually, I never learned that. I simply practiced it over a period of time. Though I haven't done it in many years."  
Her eyes widened. "Practiced? You mean, you did it a lot? With... a lot of different women?" She was too curious to be jealous - she couldn't imagine Aoshi being a playboy, even in his younger years.  
"Well, yes. I did. During the Revolution."  
"Why?"  
"I had to do my part to obtain information about our enemies. Many of those who were heavily involved in the Choshu faction had wives, and daughters. Many of them were very lonely. Sometimes, I would disguise myself and seduce the ones whose families had the information I needed. They heard many things through the thin walls in their houses, and they were very willing to tell me."  
 _I would be willing, too,_ Misao thought to herself. Aoshi, especially in his younger years, had always been popular with women. He flatly ignored almost all of them, so having his attention was probably very flattering.  
"You used to do this with all of them?"  
"No, not all of them. But with many."  
"But why did you do... that? Why not do something else?" She still wasn't sure what to call it.  
"Many of them were virgins. I couldn't risk giving them children, or ruining them."  
"You probably did ruin them - at least for anyone else," she said, settling back against him. Then she sat up again. "Wait. You didn't answer my original question."  
"You didn't ask me any other questions."  
"Yes I did! I wanted to know why you suddenly want me again."  
"Well, it wasn't a question." She could see the spark in his eyes again, he was teasing her.  
"You jerk. You know what I mean. Why? It doesn't make sense."  
Aoshi looked thoughtful for a moment. He moved, sitting up, looking at Misao directly. She tried to focus on his face, and continually failed.  
"If I tell you, you have to promise not to be angry at Takani Megumi."  
"Megumi?" She was too incredulous to be annoyed. "What does Megumi have to do with this? Wait - you DID have an affair! With Megumi! How dare you? And now you want to tell me about it like it's just no big deal - after you finally fuck me again? Well, forget it!"  
"Misao." Aoshi spoke calmly, not moving, simply waiting out the thunderstorm. It really was the only way to deal with Misao when she was angry. There was no point trying to control her - it always made her worse.  
"Don't you act so calm and cool about this! Megumi kept trying to tell me something all this weekend - I should have known that's what it was," she said, breaking into tears. "I thought Megumi hated you - this isn't fair."  
"Misao, she does hate me. And she has every right to. I made her life miserable for a long time." His eyes glazed over darkly, as they always did when he mentioned those times. "But she loves you. And that is why she told me that we had to avoid conceiving a child for at least one year after our son was lost." Anyone who didn't know him might think this sad event didn't bother him at all, but they would be wrong. A heaviness crept over him every time it was mentioned; therefore he never mentioned it himself unless it was absolutely necessary.  
Misao, jerked out of her misery, was at a loss for words. When she could finally speak, she said, "But, why? She didn't say that after Keiko was born."  
"Misao, you nearly died. I thought you knew. Maybe no one told you because they didn't want you to be afraid, but you almost bled out. I could see it in Takani Megumi's face when she spoke to me. She told me that you probably had a lot of scarring in your body - from the loss - and that if you conceived again too soon, you would probably die." The memory of that day came back to him - the sudden hurrying of all of the women, rushing new linens in and out of his and Misao's room. The grimness of their faces when their eyes met his, as he was patiently waiting outside, trying to avoid the urge to rush in. Birth, however, was one of the few battles Aoshi couldn't fight for her.  
Misao, slightly mollified, didn't say anything for a moment. She knew she had bled quite a bit, but she didn't know she was truly in danger of losing her own life. _Still..._  
"Why didn't you tell me? You let me believe this whole year that you didn't love me anymore." The hurt was flooding her once again.  
"If I told you, you wouldn't have listened. You know that as well as I do. Also, Takani Megumi told me that the longer we waited, the better. I had hoped to wait a few more months, but..." Here he paused. "I didn't want to wait any longer, either." She felt a little sorry. She could tell that the strain for him had been as hard as it had been for her.  
"It doesn't matter if I don't listen! You never share things with me - your work, your thoughts, anything."  
"You never ask."  
"I-" Misao cut herself off, surprised. "You mean, all I have to do is ask, and you'll answer anything?"  
"Yes."  
She thought about this for a moment. He had been silent for a long time, but then again, so had she. She didn't directly ask him where he was going, what he was doing, or why he wouldn't make love to her anymore. It was just something she was used to. Back before their marriage, she shied away from personal questions, because she thought they made him uncomfortable. But maybe, she was seeing something that wasn't there. After all, Aoshi was hard to read - it was what made him a brilliant leader and a somewhat difficult friend and lover to have. Maybe she had just been going about it wrong, the whole time.  
 _Then again..._  
"Okay, that's fair. But it also isn't fair for you to hold important things like what Megumi said back from me. Maybe you are right - I probably would have been mad - but that doesn't mean you can hide things from me to protect me. I have to protect myself. After all, I'm not a kid anymore. You say you don't see me as a child, but I think you still do." She looked at him with meaning.  
He hesitated, then said, "Very well. I will try." She knew that was the best she was going to get, so she settled for it.  
"Fine then. So about what you did to me earlier..." she suddenly smiled wickedly. "Is it something that can go the other way as well?"  
"What do you mean?" He asked, as she dived underneath the sheets. He grasped what she meant right before she did it, and maybe any other time he would protest, but... he couldn't stop her from everything, could he?

...

Deep into the darkest part of the evening, Kaoru lay awake. Not by choice, but because she couldn't sleep. She was still chock full of adrenaline from earlier. Also... there were several loud exclamations and sighs coming from the cottage outdoors. Misao, apparently, was getting exactly what she wanted, and even though the night was sleepless, it brought a smile to Kaoru's face. It made her miss Kenshin quite a bit, actually.

She noticed that for the third time, the large woman was getting up to peer out the shoji. The first time, she was annoyed. The second, she was irritated. This was now the sixth time she had gotten up in the past three hours, and Kaoru saw a new emotion cross her face that she couldn't quite place. Was she... impressed?

"How on Earth are they still going at it? The sun is going to rise soon!" She said it in a cranky voice, but Kaoru could tell, she was genuinely amazed.

"I always say that the quiet ones have the very best stamina," Megumi said wickedly. Apparently, she couldn't sleep either. She and Kaoru laughed aloud, and even though it was dark, they could nearly feel Tsubame blushing and hiding her face under her futon sheet.

The large woman looked out the shoji one more time, then shut it and nodded. "Well, that's one thing you're right about. The other is that none of us is sleeping tonight. We may as well have some tea."

 **Note about update: I skipped a paragraph and just noticed it! Want to talk about crappy editing? :/**

 **Footnote: So... the lemon I originally wrote was REALLY explicit. Like, I'm slightly embarrassed by it explicit :). I posted it on another site because there is no way in Hell that FFnet would have allowed it. I can't seem to successfully link it here, but if you go to Archive of Our Own dot org, and search my screename, you will find this identical story with the original lemon included. Feel free to leave comments here on the original lemon, if you'd like. After this, it's the epilogue, then the end. I hope you enjoyed this short, sweet, angsty, fluffy, silly fic. Thank you all for your great reviews.**


	6. Epilogue

**Author's Note: Thank you all so much for your kind reviews of this story, as well as the critical ones. I think my writing may have improved a bit, and at the very least, I've gotten this story out of my mind and onto paper, where it longed to be. I hope you enjoyed all the parts of this, and thank you for your support.**

Epilogue

A year and a half later:

Aoshi sat outside, in the pitch black of night. It was rather cold, and normally he would prefer to be inside, meditating if he was unable to sleep, for whatever reason. Tonight, however, was different. Try as he might, he couldn't focus when confined within walls. He felt restless, as he always did when Misao was in distress.

Another deep, moaning sound came from the room he and Misao shared. He had to quell his instincts to jump to her rescue; this was one thing that he couldn't save her from - the only time he had to let her fight her battle on her own.

As her cries faded away once again, leaving a few minutes of silence, he reflected on their lives as a married couple. They had been together five and one half years. They had certainly had more challenges than many - theirs was a union of fire and ice, of flames and wind. They were opposites in every way; and that was why they fit together so beautifully. But it didn't mean things were always smooth.

He thought back to the birth of Keiko - and how it had changed him. He had never imagined he could love someone as fully and instinctively as he did Misao; but he was wrong. Keiko had changed him for the better, in every way. Instead of taking life, he was making one to live on and grow after him - and nothing made him feel more whole.

He thought of the time two and a half years ago, when he had almost lost Misao as well as his stillborn son. No battle he had ever fought could ever have been harder than watching his beloved slip away from him - or nearly so. She had survived, barely - but as usual, she refused to slow down her life's pace. He knew it was likely because of the intense emotional pain she suffered at losing their child.

That was why he had to deny her for so long - and it had been excruciating. She never would have imagined it, but it had been as difficult for him as it had for her. Every time she passed him when she was going to bathe, so scantily dressed - he nearly broke his promise to Takani Megumi several times. The only thing that kept him from it was remembering the ghostly pallor of Misao's face when he was sure she was lost.

He had told himself he would wait a year and a half, but something snapped within him that night that Misao unknowingly helped him capture that foolish criminal. The fire in her eyes, her hot skin on his... thinking about it gave him the ghost of a smile. It was no surprise to him that it only took a few months for Misao to conceive again, to his immense pleasure. Misao hated pregnancy - she thought it made her look ridiculous. However, nothing in the world filled him more with quiet pride than seeing Misao swell with his child.

There was no sound - the night was completely still. However, he felt the presence of another - someone small, stealthy, and incredibly clever. "Keiko," he said, without opening his eyes, "You're hiding very quietly. But I know you're there. You're supposed to be asleep."

A five-year old girl, tall for her age, slipped out from the shadows. She looked at him meaningfully and said, "I know. I'm just practicing."

Aoshi had to stifle a small smile. Keiko was so very much like him - she always thought before she spoke, always calculated before making a move. She looked so very much like Misao but couldn't be more different from her. Keiko was wise far beyond her years, and incredibly skilled. It was a shame she hadn't been born forty years ago - she would have made a perfect kunoichi. He and Misao had decided, however, that though they would teach her most of the arts, they wouldn't encourage her to live a life in the shadows. Keiko reminded Aoshi of what he had been like before the cruelties of his lifestyle damaged his spirit. He felt that by keeping Keiko relatively safe, he was somehow mending past wrongs.

"Anyway," Keiko said, "I can't sleep with Mama crying like that. Is the baby coming?"

Aoshi simply nodded.

"Is Mama going to die?" Keiko asked in an even tone, though the fear showed in her liquid eyes.

"No," Aoshi answered, beckoning to the girl to sit beside him, which she did. "Your mother is far too stubborn to die."

Keiko digested this for a few moments, obviously finding the answer satisfactory. The thing Aoshi liked best about her is that she never felt the need to stimulate conversation; they could enjoy mutual silence together. They both sat there, listening to the rhythms of Misao's life-giving labor pains. Takani Megumi had come from Aizu to assist her again, and Kaoru had come from Tokyo. He could hear their voices speaking softly to Misao, encouraging her.

He seemed to fade in and out of consciousness, meditating in the stillness, and recognizing that her cries were getting closer together. He sat with his small daughter, waiting. Normally, waiting was something that didn't bother him - in fact, he usually enjoyed it. This time, however, it was almost unendurable.

He heard one final, loud bellow from Misao, before hearing the small cry of an infant, to his immense relief. He was waiting patiently, expecting someone to come out and tell him to see his new child, but he was surprised to notice there was more commotion than there had been previously. He heard Takani Megumi giving rapid directions to Kaoru in a quick voice, and the scurry of feet.

 _Not again_. "Wait here, Keiko," he told his daughter, who could sense his unusual change in temperament and was immensely terrified. "I'll be back, I promise."

He wasn't going to sit idly this time. If these were to be Misao's last moments, he was going to be there for her, whether custom approved or not. He opened the shoji quickly, planning to run to her side. What he did not expect to see was his wife, on her hands and knees, giving birth to a child who was coming out in the wrong direction. Kaoru was holding a baby, looking nonplussed at his presence. Megumi took one look at him and said, "Didn't we all tell you to wait outside?" Just as she said so, the second child was immediately born, caught expertly by her hands.

They had twins. Twins!

...

Several hours later, he was lying next to Misao and his new sons, both asleep. Despite being smaller in size than a normal baby, both were quite chubby and had full heads of black hair, and small, red little faces. One even had Misao's snub nose. Several years later, when they were to grow up and become very famous martial artists across the ocean in America, few could tell them apart by anything other than that nose.

Misao slept, finally, after being so overwrought with energy after their birth. She simply stared at one, then the other, holding them close. Neither of them had known that there was more than one child - there were no indications of such. But Misao's joy could not have been greater.

And neither could his. Several years ago, he could never imagine a life with anyone other than his comrades, his skills, and himself. This small woman had wedged her way into his heart, and had made him from someone ruthless to someone worthwhile. She always saw him as strong, but he knew that hers was the true strength.

They had named one of the babies Jinenji - a name they had picked for a male child long ago, in honor of Okina's given name. The old man was beginning to visibly slip in health, and they were not certain how much longer he would be around. Aoshi, knowing Okina had done far more for Misao than he ever had, was inwardly glad Misao had chosen this name.

However, the other child remained unnamed. Misao had wished to name him after Hann'ya, of course, his being her closest friend in childhood. However, she felt guilt at being able to name him after only one of their fallen comrades, and not honor all four of them. She told Aoshi to think about it before she went to sleep.

He had thought about it, and come to the conclusion that he had to name the child in honor of his wife. He decided the baby should be called Misato, taking elements from her name. He knew she would object, but he knew if he insisted enough, she would relent. After all, he knew of no one stronger - certainly not himself. Misao had been able to save him from certain destruction, simply by being. Her quiet strength in the face of absolute destruction of her world was something he had been incapable of. Many saw him as the stronger counterpart of their relationship, but he knew better.

Because of Misao, he not only healed, but helped to bring new life - life in the form of his relationship with her, and in the form of his children, who would walk the earth after they both did. Many years later, when they were both old, he would reflect back upon this moment and realize that was when he knew the ultimate truth: Misao was his ultimate strength, far greater than any attack. Something Himura Kenshin had known all along.

He laid the child down upon the futon, next to his mother and sister. Holding his long arm over his wife and three children, he realized that he finally knew what it was to be the strongest.


End file.
